Page 65 of Crave

“What are you majoring in at BC? Passive aggressiveness?” Jake pulls out a chair for me. “I’m right here if you have something to say.”

“We are not doing this here.” Josh Clark points a finger at his younger son. “Luke, sit your ass down and stop provoking Jake. Jake, stop letting him provoke you.” Luke gets a phone call and takes it before anyone else can speak. He runs inside for privacy and Jake finally sits next to me, resting his hand on top of mine.

“Well, this virus has gotten into our family, that’s for sure.” Lilian's eyes are directly on Tracy as she speaks. Tracy doesn’t flinch as she meets her mother-in-law’s hateful glare.

“Lil, sweetheart, not now.”

“It’s just that if she never infected our family—”

“You wouldn’t have your grandson,Lil,” Tracy says defiantly.

“Mrs. Clark to the likes of you.”

Tracy’s nostrils flare at Lilian’s response. “The likes of me? What is that supposed to mean?”

“What do you think it means, Tracy? Look at my sons? They weren’t like this before you slithered your way into this family. Not that I would expect someone like you to understand the concept of family.”

“Lil, enough.” Josh rubs his wife’s shoulders in an attempt to calm her down. “Tracy, I’m sorry for my wife’s words.”

“Don’t you dare apologize to her on my behalf.” Lilian Clark points at Tracy, her eyes full of disdain as she looks at her daughter in law as she pulls herself from her husband’s grip and walks away from the table.

“Excuse me.” As quickly as a heavily pregnant woman can move, Tracy gets up and walks away from our table, but not before I see tears pool in her eyes.

CHAPTER 21

SANDY

“You have a big appetite for such a little dude.” We all watch in awe as Tristan takes another giant bite of his burger and wipes his mouth with the back of his hand.

“Use a napkin, honey.” Tracy reaches across the table and offers her son a napkin. Tristan’s arm isn’t long enough to reach it, so her arm hangs awkwardly across the table. I nudge Jake with my elbow, but he ignores me. I finally reach over and take it from her and wipe Tristan’s mouth.

“Grandma says I have a big appetite just like you when you were a boy. She says I’m just like you.” He looks up with admiration at his Uncle Jake.

Between typing on his phone, Luke lets out a loud snort. “He wishes he was as cool as you, Trist.” He abruptly stands up after that statement. “I gotta go. I’ll see you later.” He walks out, and Tristan continues talking.

“Will you come over to my house and play with me? Uncle Luke always comes over, but you never do. How come?”

The table falls silent as they wait for Jake to answer. He pulls on his beard between sips of water.

“Well, you know, uh, work.”

“I know it’s because you’re mad at my dad.”

“Jesus,” he says under his breath. We all watch as he looks at Troy, waiting for him to help, but Troy doesn’t speak.

“That’s enough, honey. Sometimes adults have misunderstandings too. Why don’t you go back to your burger?” Tristan ponders his mother’s suggestion but decides he needs to speak.

“When I fight with Emma, you make us say sorry and shake hands.” He shifts in Jake’s lap and puts his little hands on either side of his face. “Uncle Jake, you should shake hands with my dad, so you can come over and play with me.”

“You know what, buddy? I promise to spend more time with you. In fact, I’m going to your grandparents’ house tomorrow to swim in the pool. Maybe you can get your dad to drop you off.”

“Really? Promise you’ll really be there.”

“I promise.”

“Can you pick me up at home? Your house isn’t far from ours. Daddy showed it to me once.”

“Me too?” Emma asks.

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